The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-01-20
A HERO WIFE.


that the accident 1 am going to tell you
about happened. But for that same
accident / don't think Kate an
would be man and wife this day, for
you see my father was set agin' the
match, Katie being only laborer's
daughter, while he himself was foreman
in the mill. getting good wages and
thought deal ofby his employers. An
If it wasn't for Katie don't think I'd
be here now to tell you about it. for
twas she that saved my life through
hitting upon plan that never once
came into the heads Of me or my com
rades-ay. or those that you'd have
thought would know better than any
Of us.
1 was brought up to my father 1
trade. having been taken when young
by brother Of my mothers, 4 master
bricklayer living in the town. When
my uncle died came to Lisgarvin for
bit, just to see my father, and finding
that they were at work on the new
buildings at the mills, looked for en-
ployment there, an got it at once.
Lisgarvin Mill is a flour-mill, and a
pretty place it was in those days, with
the river running just BY the old red
brick buildings. an the big water
wheel always going round an round.
The river falls into larger one a
little down, and the tide comes up as
far as the mill, 20 It's in noats that
most Of the corn is brought in and the
flour carried away. 'Tisn't half so
pretty place now; there are big white
washed buildings along side Of the old
ones. the big wheel is stopped, an YOU
hear the whirl of the engine instead Of
the sound of water. But they make a
power Of money there an give = deal
Of employment.
As Twas saying, got taken on as a
bricklayer. Katie's father was work
ing there, too. an used to see her
bringing him his dinner, and, after d
bit, | began to think I'd like to have
her bring me mine, too. She was as
pretty girl then as you'd see anywhere
she's good-looking to this day-and
soon became that fond Of her that I'd
have done anything Almost to get her.
She herself was willing enough; twas
my father that made the difficulty. He
was proud man, as proud in his way
as any gentleman, an he was down
right mad at the notion Of my wanting
to marry laborer's daughter. To be
sure. l was earning good wages, an
might have married without asking any
ones leave If I'd been 50 minded. but
didn't like to 60 agin' the old man that
had always been good to me. Besides,
Katie was just rs proud rs himself, and
would have nothing to say to me nm.
less he was satisfied. / got the master
to speak to him, but sure 'twasn't d
bit Of use.
"How would you like, SIR" he says
to the master, ..if had daughter, to
have Master Philip take up with her,
and wouldn't that be the same thing?''
l believe that the master didn't think
it would be at all the same thing, but
my father wouldn't hear reason from
him any more than from me; SO Katie
aud had just nothing for it but to
wait, in the hope of his coming round,
and very little hope we had of that
same.
As we were putting up a steam en-
gine in the mill we had. Of course. to
have big chimney, an we got man
from town to build it-one of them
chaps that builds chimneys an nothin'
else, an thinks nobody knows any
thing about it but themselves. | was
working along with him. and. indeed,
twas l that built the most Of it. and a
right good job it was. Twas finished
by Christmas-ten years ago this
Christmas coming on-all but the
lightning conductor. and that was not
put up owing to the masters wanting
to make inquiries when he'd go to Lon
don, an see for himself what would be
the best kind to use.
The master was scientific sort Of q
gentleman, an has ideas OF his own
sometimes they'd be better than other
peoples, sometime 8 maybe not so good.
At any rate, there was delay about
the conductor, an in the meantime the
engineers were at work, an the big
chimney was smoking away like blazes.
MIR. Brown, the strange workman, had
gone away, saying very condescendine
like he was sure Jim Forde (that was
me) would be able to fasten the rod to
the chimney as well as he could do il
himself. He took all of his scaffoldine
with him, but before he went away hi
fixed beam with pulley to it to the
top Of the chimney an left long rope
hanging through it, SO that a man could
be hoisted up at any time; an there the
rope hung dangling, week after week,
until the master came, bringing the rod
along with him.
Once it had come there was no good
losing any more time in fixing il, SC
one Saturday afternoon in January, up
| went on a plank, slung securely a,
the end of the rope, my tools along with
me, an settled myself astride on the
stone coping. Twas rather late in the
day, but the morning had been too we,
an stormy to work, an the master was
as impatient to get the job done as if il
hadn't been himself that was hinderine
it all this time. l was as much at home
atop of the chimney as l was on the
ground, an worked on without once
looking down, until my job was fin.
ished an | was putting up my tools
Then, all of q sudden, heard rat.
tling noise, an looking over see the
plank going down very fast. l called
out: "Hullo, there! send that up again,
will you?' but the only answer got
was loud laugh, for all the world lik.
silly Jerry, the natural's, and sure
enough there he was, standing by tn.
windlass, jumping an clapping his
hands.
/ looked about for the man whose